Free business consulting for your innovation project!
Date: 19/05/2026
Dear EC-Funded Belgian Innovators,
The European Commission, in collaboration with UC Louvain School of Management, is pleased to invite you to participate in a 12-weeks business consulting mission, designed to support the market readiness of your EC-funded innovation project.
This initiative offers free consulting services delivered by highly motivated master’s students under the guidance of experienced faculty, providing tailored strategic, financial, operational, or commercial expertise to accelerate your project’s success.
How the Programme Works
A dedicated team of three master’s students from UC Louvain Business School, supervised by a professor, will act as business consultants for your project.
The scope of the consulting mission is defined by you, covering areas such as:
·Business strategy & scaling
·Market analysis & commercialisation
·Financial modelling & funding strategies
·Human resources & talent management
·Digital transformation & technology adoption
·Internationalisation & market entry
·Sustainability & regulatory compliance
Key Timeline & Milestones
|
Phase |
Deadline |
Details |
|
Expression of Interest |
7 June 2026 |
Submit your interest via return email, including a designated contact (name, email, phone). |
|
Project Selection |
30 August 2026 |
UCLouvain Business School reviews applications and selects participating projects. |
|
Kick-Off Meeting |
15 September 2026 |
Virtual session with the business school, selected innovators, and student consultants. |
|
Mid-Project Review |
31 October 2026 |
Virtual progress assessment with all stakeholders. |
|
Final Presentation |
15 December 2026 |
On-site at UCLouvain: Students present findings; innovators provide feedback for evaluation. |
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for this opportunity, your organisation must meet the following conditions: ✅ EC-funded innovation project (e.g., Horizon Europe, EIC, Digital Europe, etc.) with a Go-to-market identified opportunity. ✅ Registered entity in Belgium. ✅ Proficiency in English (the programme’s working language). ✅ Commitment to engage with the student team, including:
·Availability for guidance and data access to support their analysis.
·Participation in the kick-off, mid-review, and final presentation (virtual/on-site as specified).
Why Participate?
This initiative offers a unique, cost-free opportunity to: ✔ Gain fresh, academic-inspired perspectives on your business challenges. ✔ Access actionable recommendations to refine your market strategy. ✔ Contribute to the next generation of business talent while advancing your project.
Next Steps
If you wish to express your interest, please reply to EC-HORIZON-RESULTS-PLATFORM@ec.europa.eu by the 7th of June 2026, providing:
·Your project name and a brief description and motivation for your participation to the consulting program (max. 300 words).
·Contact details for the project lead (name, email, telephone).
Selected applicants will be notified by 30 August 2026. Please note that the European Commission is not affiliated nor responsible for the selection, follow-up and participation in the training programme which is exclusively under UCL.
We encourage you to seize this valuable opportunity to enhance your innovation’s path to market. Should you require further clarification, do not hesitate to contact us.
We look forward to your prompt response and to supporting your project’s success.
Best regards,
Horizon Results Platform team